Photo by
Yoav Dudkevitch/TPS-IL on 16 January, 2025
Israeli Finance Minister Unfazed by Sanctions Over Gaza Policy, Says He Has No Foreign Assets
Jerusalem, 11 June, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Wednesday defiantly dismissed sanctions placed on him the previous day by Britain and other Western countries.
“What am I going to do now with all my assets in Britain and bank accounts in New Zealand?” Smotrich said, speaking in the Knesset plenum. “Thank God, I have no assets either in Israel or abroad. I have no interest in visiting these antisemitic countries anyway, so these sanctions don’t concern me.”
Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand sanctioned Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir on Tuesday over what British Foreign Minister David Lammy described as “monstrous” rhetoric and policies regarding Gaza, and accusing them of inciting Jewish violence against Palestinians in Judea and Samaria. The measures include a travel ban and a freezing of any assets they have in those countries.
“These are not personal sanctions — they’re an attempt to pressure Israel to stop the war, to surrender, to commit suicide by allowing a terror state to rise beside us. We will not allow that. We stand as a fortified wall against this,” Smotrich insisted.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the sanctions “scandalous,” and said Israel would consider an official response next week. Sa’ar also refused take a phone call from Lammy on Wednesday.
Knesset Deputy Speaker Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit) announced she would reintroduce legislation to block Israeli banks from enforcing foreign sanctions against Israeli citizens who have not broken domestic law.
Smotrich also used the moment to say he would end a waiver allowing Israeli banks to process shekel transfers with Palestinian banks. The waiver allows Israeli banks to process shekel payments for services and salaries associated with the Palestinian Authority without running afoul of laws against terror-funding and money laundering. The banks process PA stipends for imprisoned Palestinian terrorists and their families.
